Navigating the Unexpected
How to Get Your Project Back on Track After a Setback
We've all been there: your project is humming along nicely when suddenly, an unexpected interruption brings everything to a halt. In our case, it was a short, two-week break in the middle of a client project. Even that brief pause created challenges for the team when we reconvened, but it also gave us the chance to identify strategies for regaining momentum.
It’s worth noting that longer interruptions require a much more specific and deliberate recovery effort. What we share here reflects lessons from a short disruption, practical steps that helped us get back on track quickly after an unexpected blip.
The Challenge of Resuming Work
Returning to a paused project is rarely as simple as picking up where you left off. Our team immediately faced several obstacles:
- Access roadblocks: Regaining entry to necessary systems required navigating multiple layers of security and approval processes.
- Timeline concerns: Stakeholders had legitimate questions about how the lost time would impact deliverables and deadlines.
- Momentum loss: The team's rhythm and flow had been disrupted, requiring intentional effort to rebuild.
7 Effective Steps to Regain Project Momentum
Based on our experience, here are proven steps to help your team bounce back from an unexpected project interruption:
1. Rally Strong Leadership
Our project manager, scrum master, and product owner immediately aligned to advocate for the team's needs. This leadership triad created a protective buffer that allowed team members to focus on getting back to productivity while they handled administrative hurdles.
Part of this leadership alignment included rebaselining our project plan. It was a meticulous process adjusting timelines, renegotiating commitments, and communicating changes transparently. While the team initially felt anxious about how the new baseline might affect delivery, seeing a clear, updated path gave them reassurance that we could move forward with confidence.
Action tip: Identify key leadership roles and ensure they're communicating frequently during the recovery period.
2. Cultivate Patience Deliberately
Frustration is natural when facing unexpected barriers. We made it a point to remind each other regularly that the process would take time and that patience would serve us better than impatience.
Action tip: Acknowledge frustrations openly but pair them with reminders about the temporary nature of the challenges.
3. Leverage Available Tools
We were fortunate to have access to an internal, secure AI assistant that helped us review code and write tests. This technological support accelerated our ability to get back up to speed.
Action tip: Audit what tools and resources might help your team recover more quickly, even if they weren't part of your original workflow.
4. Intensify Team Connection
Our scrum master made a conscious effort to check in with team members individually and frequently. We also increased team-building activities to rebuild the connection that had been temporarily lost.
Action tip: Schedule additional informal check-ins and create opportunities for the team to reconnect socially as well as professionally.
5. Create Psychological Safety
We established a safe space where team members could voice concerns without fear. This open dialogue led to creative solutions we might not have discovered otherwise. Even before the furlough, we had cultivated an environment of safety and trust where people could voice their concerns and opinions. This went a long way when we had an unexpected outage.
Action tip: Host a dedicated session specifically for airing concerns and brainstorming recovery strategies.
6. Reconnect with Purpose
Reminding ourselves why we valued this client and project rekindled our motivation. This connection to the work proved powerful in overcoming obstacles.
Action tip: Take time to explicitly discuss what team members find meaningful about the project to reignite intrinsic motivation.
7. Embrace Autonomy with Accountability
Having the freedom to solve problems creatively, backed by supportive stakeholders and mutual trust, allowed us to find the best path forward rather than the most obvious one.
Action tip: Give team members space to determine their own best recovery strategies while maintaining clear accountability for outcomes.
The Foundation for Resilience
Our experience highlighted that teams bounce back most effectively when they have:
- Autonomy to solve problems creatively
- Strong, supportive stakeholders who trust the team
- Psychological safety to voice concerns and ideas
- A foundation of trust among all parties
The unexpected pause in our project could have derailed our momentum permanently. Instead, by implementing these strategies, we not only recovered but ultimately delivered successfully.
When your team faces an unexpected interruption—whether it's two weeks or two months—remember that the path back to productivity is paved with intentional leadership, strengthened connections, and a renewed sense of purpose. The resilience you build through this process will serve your team well beyond the current project.